CENTRE NOTIFIES JUSTICE N KOTISWAR SINGH AND MAHADEVAN AS SUPREME COURT JUDGES

Mehvish Kazi,

M.K.E.S. College of Law

INTRODUCTION

Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal made the announcement in a post on X on Tuesday, “In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the Hon’ble President, after consultation with the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India, is pleased to appoint the following as Supreme Court Judges: Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice R Mahadevan.” The President of India appointed these judges    under Article 124(2) constitution of India wherein the president has the authority to appoint judges.

BACKGROUND AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE APPOINTMENTS

On Thursday, July 11, the SC Collegium proposed Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, and R Mahadevan, Acting Chief of the Madras High Court, for elevation to the Supreme Court. The appointment of N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan restores the Supreme Court back to its official complement of 34 judges. This was after it briefly dipped to 32 after the retirement of Justices Aniruddha Bose and A. S. Bopanna from the Supreme Court. This recommendation from the SC Collegium to select Justice Singh was another milestone since for the first time a judge from Manipur would be part of the Supreme Court of India.

Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh, an Indian judge, is the Chief Justice of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court. Born in 1963, Singh completed his education at Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith and graduated from Kirori Mal College. He has served as the Acting Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court three times and as the Acting Chief Justice of Manipur High Court twice. Singh was appointed as the first judge from Manipur to be appointed as a Supreme Court Judge in 2024. The Supreme Court Collegium stated that appointment of Singh as a Judge of the top court would be helpful in making representation from the Northeast. Mr. Justice N Kotiswar Singh has good track record in his judicial career as well as the work which has been done by him on the side of administration as Chief Justice of High Court for Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh region.

The Collegium stated that Justice Mahadevan was "eminently suitable" for selection as a Supreme Court Judge. Justice Mahadevan is from one of the backward classes of Tamil Nadu

State of India. There were sworn words from the Supreme Court: “His appointment will add a new dimension to the Bench”. The Collegium has noted that Mr. Justice R. Mahadevan is the third among the present justices of the Madras High Court taking into consideration the judges of the Madras High Court, including those appointed as Chief Justices elsewhere. This stage, the Collegium has placed the backward community candidate first to nominate Mr. Justice R Mahadevan.

For instance, the latest two appointments of Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan to the supreme court of India are noticeable in keeping the court full bench and conducive in the speedy and efficient delivery of justice. This list has been arranged in accordance with the principles of Collegium which has consider only the merit and integrity standard of judiciary as well as incorporation of the diversity policy within judiciary. This focus on the judiciary quality guarantees that the Supreme Court remains a paragon of good standards with bias towards providing fair and reasoned decisions. The current Collegium is headed by the Chief Justice of India Dr Justice DY Chandrachud and includes Justices Sanjiv Khanna, JK Maheswari, BS Chauhan, Surya Kant, and Hrishikesh Roy. These honorable judges remain committed to delivering justice, incorrigible professionalism, and celebrating diversity in their suggestions and deliberations.

CONCLUSION

The rejuvenation of the Supreme Court as a nine-member organ is not only about numbers but it is a sign that the legal system is hale and hearty and ready to face the legal dynamics of a complex nation. Going forward as the court returns to full strength, it once again highlights the need for an effective judiciary system that will be able to deliver justice to citizens as and when required thereby upholding the tenets of democracy in the country. The elevation of the two judges, N. Kotiswar Singh and R. Mahadevan demonstrates the robustness of Indian judiciary in the changing face whose future looks bright for progressive changes in Indian legal fraternity.

REFERENCES

1) THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS, https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Jul/16/justice-n-kotiswar-singh- creates-history-becomes-first-sc-judge-from-manipur (last visited July 20, 2024).

2)WIKIPEDIA, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sitting_judges_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_India (last visited July 20, 2024).

3) Prateek Shukla, SC to regain full strength as Centre notifies appointments of two judges, BUSINESS STANDARD, (July 20, 2024, 19:21 PM), https://www.business- standard.com/india-news/sc-to-regain-full-strength-as-centre-notifies-appointments- of-two-judges-124071600954_1.html